Coast Guard awards energy performance contract to intensify campus resilience against climate threats at Training Center Petaluma

News Release

U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters Contact: Headquarters Public Affairs Office: (202) 372-4630 mediarelations@uscg.mil Headquarters online newsroom

Coast Guard awards energy performance contract to intensify campus resilience against climate threats at Training Center Petaluma 

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WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Coast Guard awarded a $48M Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) that will make a $36.1M capital investment at the service’s largest west coast training facility, Training Center Petaluma in Northern California.

The project will safeguard the remote campus against recurring climate threats including wildfires, high-winds, drought, and power outages, and is designed to provide ten-days of self-sufficient operations for the Petaluma campus using Energy Conservation Measures.

“This contract award enables continuity of operations in an environment of climate hazards and will ensure Training Center Petaluma remains adaptable to the Coast Guard’s need for a mission ready total workforce,” said Capt. Steve Ramassini, commanding officer of Training Center Petaluma. “The project will also provide the means for predictable quality of life standards for the 450 students and 127 families who reside aboard the training center, keeping us the best place to live, work, and train.” 

Highlights of this ESPC include clean energy generation and operational resilience provided by a 5-megawatt ground-mounted solar array and a new 11.6 MWh Battery Energy Storage System installed on the Petaluma campus. The project will also upgrade building controls, improve lighting, install low voltage transformers, and provide new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment. The project includes repair and replacement of key energy resilience equipment and systems, including full operations and maintenance for the 21-year performance period that follows a two-year construction implementation.

The Coast Guard partnered with three Department of Energy national labs, the Federal Energy Management Program, and the Defense Logistics Agency Energy to plan this project. This is the third Coast Guard energy performance contract to include a microgrid component and the first to be designed with the primary objective of accomplishing complete and sustained “off-the-grid” capability within minutes.

“Accomplishing the Coast Guard mission requires not only working with organic resources but also leveraging the expertise found in other areas of both government and the private sector,” said Rear Adm. Carola List, Assistant Commandant for Engineering and Logistics. “I’m very proud of the strategic partnerships that the Coast Guard has established to address the unique needs of TRACEN Petaluma and create a roadmap for how we can take advantage of similar opportunities at other Coast Guard locations.”

Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2021.

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